Grooved drum and associated roller for motorized lifting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399566-B2
Application number	US-201414245637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2014
Priority date	May 13, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus includes a drum to draw in or let out a line and a motor coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. The drum includes a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line. A roller is provided that tracks the groove and extends into the groove. The roller pushes the line into the groove. In certain embodiments, the roller pushes the line to a bottom of the groove to ensure that the line is properly seated therein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a motor;
a drum rotated by the motor to draw in or let out a line from the drum, the drum comprising a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line; and
a roller tracking and extending into the groove immediately over the line in order to push the line into the groove.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a depth of the groove is larger than a diameter of the line.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller pushes the line to a bottom of the groove.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller is attached to a guide for guiding the line into the groove.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the guide is a passive guide that tracks the groove.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller slides along an axis substantially perpendicular to the groove.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the groove is configured to grip the line.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a width of the groove is slightly narrower than the line.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the groove is a helical groove.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller passively tracks the groove.

11. A method comprising:
rotating a drum to draw in or let out a line, the drum comprising a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line; and
pushing the line into the groove with a roller tracking and extending into the groove immediately over the line.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a depth of the groove is larger than a diameter of the line.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein pushing the line into the groove comprises pushing the line to a bottom of the groove.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising guiding the line into the groove.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein guiding the line into the groove comprises passively guiding the line into the groove.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein tracking the groove comprises sliding the roller along an axis substantially perpendicular to the groove.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the groove is configured to grip the line.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the groove is slightly narrower than the line.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the groove is a helical groove.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein tracking the groove comprises passively tracking the groove.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Miles Jerome
• Hall Michael
• Madsen Daniel
• Taylor Ben

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Miles Jerome
• Hall Michael
• Madsen Daniel
• Taylor Ben

Classifications

• B62H3/12

  Hanging-up devices · CPC title

• A47B57/06

  with means for adjusting the height of the shelves (A47B57/04, A47B57/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• B66D1/22

  Planetary or differential gearings (for actuating grab buckets B66D1/70 ){, i.e. with planet gears having movable axes of rotation} · CPC title

• B66D1/54

  Safety gear · CPC title

• B66D1/12

  incorporating electric motors · CPC title